DW:
Organfreak, please note the part where I said that in an ideal world, I'd agree with him re:ADs and grounding.
You're as free to believe what you wish about yokes as he is, but the fact is that he stated flat out that the yoke position would automatically have been noted. I provide evidence to refute that, while noting that it *might* have made a difference, and *I'm* the arbitrary and capricious one?
I was afraid you'd point out the "in an ideal world" part. I saw it; I should have addressed it. When it comes to air safety, I think we should
strive for the ideal, even tho we all know that perfection is unattainable (something I learned long ago as a musician). "Good enough" is the friend of shoddy.
It is obvious that CONF's contention was an opinion-- good writing guidelines tell us that an opinion is obvious and the statement ID-ing it as such should be left out. But it the opinion of someone with a great deal of piloting experience, unlike yourself, or me for that matter. He did not state it as fact because it can't be fact, only a very-informed opinion.
As for the rest of your answer: it doesn't apply. When premier experts design things, we still have to look at mistakes made, ones that could not have been foreseen by any designer-god.